Five Reasons Why Ligue 1 Will Be as Strong as the Premier League in 10 Years | Bleacher Report Five Reasons Why Ligue 1 Will Be as Strong as the Premier League in 10 Years Five Reasons Why Ligue 1 Will Be as Strong as the Premier League in 10 Years 1 of 6 In the world of domestic football, the Premier League is the one all others are compared too. With the global appeal of teams like Manchester United , Arsenal , Chelsea , and Manchester City the Premier League is the king as far as number of followers. The strength of the league top to bottom out distances it as a whole from Spain's La Liga, and is only rivaled by the depth of the Italian Serie A. Comparing the strength of Ligue 1 in France to the Premier League is currently a one-sided discussion, but the following are the reasons that 10 years from now, Ligue 1 can be at the same level as their English counterparts. The Paris Saint-Germain Effect 2 of 6 Ever since the Qatari investment group landed in Paris, they have set out on a mission to be the kings of Europe no matter the cost.

With a budget that rivals Manchester City and Chelsea, PSG has already attracted many top level players. With a star studded squad set to take Europe by storm at PSG, the rest of Ligue 1 has to raise the talent level of their clubs if they want to even compete for their domestic title. Montpellier may have pipped PSG to the title in the first season of the new regime, but that will be an exception, not the rule, if other clubs do not splash some cash. With Monaco having received similar financial backing, it is just a matter of time until they return to Ligue 1. Once they do, there will be two clubs with unlimited budgets forcing the hands of the other clubs to raise the bar. Laurent Blanc's “Domestic Preference” 3 of 6 Since taking over as the French national team coach, Blanc has stated his preference for players to remain in Ligue 1. With playing for country in the World Cup and Euros being a pinnacle for most players, expect many of the mid level stars to take opportunities in France over moves to other leagues. This preference has already played a part in the decisions of Kevin Gameiro (last summer) and Marvin Martin to remain in Ligue 1 rather than go abroad.

If the trend of more French talent staying in Ligue 1 continues, the depth of the league becomes stronger. It also dilutes some of the talent level where the French have landed in the past, including the Premier League. League Strength Runs in Cycles 4 of 6 No league can stay at the top of the food chain forever. Looking back on the last 50 years of play, one can see the peaks and valleys for each league. The Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, and the Premier League have all had their time at the top, and their time when they were further down the pecking order. Coaches and players move on or retire, club ownership changes hands, and match fixing or other scandals are uncovered. All of this affects the clubs and the overall strength of a league. The Premier League has maintained their position at the top for a long time, but with coaches like Sir Alex Ferguson, and Arsene Wenger coming to the end of their brilliant careers, there will be voids to be filled at two of England’s power clubs. Ligue 1’s Increased Revenues 5 of 6 One of the keys to the Premier Leagues success has been revenue from television contracts and the global following of its top teams.

The shared revenues among the clubs allow for higher wages attracting better talent. Ligue 1 is not in position to match the revenue stream at this time, but they are closing the gap. After QIA bought control of PSG, Al Jazeera purchased Ligue 1 television rights for the 2012 – 2016 seasons. With Al Jazeera airing games through their beIN Sport channel, along with longtime provider Canal+, Ligue 1 will find its way in front of more soccer fans around the world. Adding to this exposure is PSG’s summer matches against Chelsea FC and Juventus in New York and Montreal. Ligue 1 has also scheduled the Trophee des Champions between Lyon and Montpellier to kick off the season in New York as well. This increased exposure leads to an increased fan base. A larger fan base increases revenue through jersey and other licensed product sales. Add the increased fan revenue to the additional €500 million in television rights from Al Jazeera over the next four seasons, and Ligue 1 clubs will have the money to try to compete with other leagues.

Location, Location, Location 6 of 6 In a player's transfer decision, if the money, and strength of the club are pretty much equal, the determining factor typically comes down to location. Comparing the locales in England to France, and the more pleasing surroundings are definitely in France’s favor. Paris is a much more desirable location than London or Manchester. The proximity of the French Riviera to clubs like Monaco (when they return to Ligue 1), Montpellier, and Nice, or the splendor of the French wine country gives Ligue 1 an advantage over the Premier League. Montpellier win maiden Ligue 1 title - UEFA.com Montpellier win maiden Ligue 1 title Published: Monday 21 May 2012, 0.15CET John Utaka scored twice as Montpellier Hérault SC rallied from a goal down against bottom side AJ Auxerre to seal the victory they required to win their first Ligue 1 title.

by Christian Châtelet Published: Monday 21 May 2012, 0.15CET Montpellier win maiden Ligue 1 title John Utaka scored twice as Montpellier Hérault SC rallied from a goal down against bottom side AJ Auxerre to seal the victory they required to win their first Ligue 1 title. John Utaka scored twice as Montpellier Hérault SC came from behind against bottom side AJ Auxerre in a fraught final match of the season to seal the victory they required to clinch their first Ligue 1 title. Related Items Rémy's EURO doubt Montpellier arrived in Burgundy with a three-point advantage over their closest challengers Paris Saint-Germain FC, who also came from behind to beat FC Lorient 2-1 to keep their title prospects alive. But the drama intensified at the Stade Abbé-Deschamps as the game was halted for almost 20 minutes with the match hanging in the balance at 1-1, after Utaka had clawed his side level following Olivier Kapo's opener.

With PSG watching the nail-biting events unfold on television having won 2-1 at Lorient thanks to second-half goals by Javier Pastore and Thiago Motta, Montpellier, who have secured ten points this season thanks to added-time strikes, kept their cool as Utaka struck again with what proved to be the title-winning goal on 76 minutes. Montpellier have become the 19th French club to win Ligue 1 and arguably the most unexpected since the turn of the century, but their achievement is not undeserved given they moved to the top of the French standings with ten games remaining and remained there. Their 50 points from 19 home matches was the key to their deserved maiden title triumph. "It's fantastic, fabulous," said coach René Girard, who had ensured his side's UEFA Champions League group stage berth after a home win against the defending champions LOSC Lille Métropole last week. PSG will join the champions in next season's group stage, while Lille, in third, must contest the play-offs.

French Cup winners Olympique Lyonnais, who finished fourth despite losing 4-3 to OGC Nice, will play in the UEFA Europa League play-offs, while French League Cup winners Olympique de Marseille made the group stage, despite coming a distant tenth after a last-day loss against FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. Fifth-placed FC Girondins de Bordeaux, meanwhile, earned a place in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round thanks to a 3-2 win at AS Saint-Étienne, pipping Stade Rennais FC, who routed Dijon FCO 5-0, by a point. ©UEFA.com 1998-2017. All rights reserved. Last updated: 05/12/13 5.06CET How Montpellier beat PSG to win the French title - BBC Sport BBC Sport How Montpellier beat PSG to win the French title By Matt Spiro It looked as though Manchester City had found a failsafe method for winning titles: attract a billionaire Middle Eastern owner, sign a proven Italian manager, spend heavily, and the silverware should follow. What worked in England, however, has not worked in France this season.

Qatar Sports Investment talked of European domination when they purchased Paris Saint-Germain last summer, but they will need to conquer France first. Despite splashing £82m on players and luring Carlo Ancelotti, the capital side were pipped to the title by their modest southern rivals Montpellier, a club whose annual budget of £29m is only the 13th in France and less than the £37m France record PSG spent on Javier Pastore. Indeed, for those complaining about the influence of wealthy foreign investors in modern football, Montpellier represent the perfect antidote. PSG's tally of 79 points would usually have been enough for the title, but Montpellier have been extraordinary. Rene Girard's charges finished with 82 points - the second highest total in Ligue 1 history - although they still had to endure a torturous final game at Auxerre on Sunday. John Utaka equalised for Montpellier Needing to avoid defeat to claim their first-ever title, Montpellier went behind before recovering through John Utaka's leveller. An already-tense situation became almost unbearable as the second half was stopped three times due to crowd disturbances.

With Auxerre already condemned to relegation, home fans expressed their anger by throwing on tennis balls, eggs, toilet paper and flares. The third delay lasted more than 20 minutes. As police marched away the offending supporters, the players tried to remain focused. News that PSG's game had finished and that they had come from behind to win at Lorient hardly settled their nerves. "Montpellier don't deserve this," lamented former France striker Christophe Dugarry on television. The sentiment was shared by many. This was one of the most tantalising finales to a season yet not the climax anybody had hoped for. When the game re-started, PSG's players were huddled in front of a television. Their hopes were crushed by Utaka's winner, however - with the final whistle sounding 41 minutes later than scheduled. "This was the longest night of my life," said relieved Montpellier coach Girard amid manic celebrations. The city of Montpellier has barely slept since. Partying continued through the night and tens of thousands crammed in to the Place de la Comedie to witness Monday's trophy ceremony.

Auxerre's pitch is pelted by tennis balls and toilet rolls Taking centre stage - and sporting a new orange-and-blue Mohawk haircut - was the architect of Montpellier's success: their loyal president Louis Nicollin. Nicollin, a self-made entrepreneur, is the driving force behind several sports in the region having invested in local rugby, basketball, handball and football teams. The 68-year-old has been the football club's president since its birth in 1974. In the early years, he looked to buy success, spending lavishly on the likes of Roger Milla, Eric Cantona and Carlos Valderrama. Although Montpellier won the French Cup in 1990 - thanks in no small part to Laurent Blanc - the success did not last. When relegation ensued Nicollin tightened his purse strings and focused on youth development. Modern-day Montpellier is founded on hard work, exceptional spirit, homegrown talent and some extremely shrewd signings. After returning to the top flight in 2009, they finished fifth in Girard's first season. Since then the team has been strengthened by a superb crop of youngsters.

Midfield trio Younes Belhanda - France's young player of the year, Remy Cabella and Benjamin Stambouli have stepped up since winning the Coupe Gambardella, France's Youth Cup, in 2009. They have joined fellow graduates Geoffrey Jourdren, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Jamel Saihi in the first team. 2011-12 Ligue 1 table Full Ligue 1 table Two years ago, Montpellier broke their transfer record to sign striker Olivier Giroud for £1.7m. Last summer, they captured Brazilian defender Vitorino Hilton on a free and Cameroon left-back Henri Bedimo for £1.6m. Giroud won the golden boot with 21 goals this term; he was joined in the Ligue 1 team of the season by Hilton and Bedimo. On a shoestring budget, Nicollin has overseen the development of one of Ligue 1's finest teams. Whether he can keep the squad together might be his biggest challenge yet.

A reported target for Bayern Munich, Arsenal and PSG, Giroud is believed to be the club's top earner on a £15,000 a week - less than a PSG squad player - and Nicollin insists there will be no big rises. "So long as I'm president, you'll never see a Montpellier player earning £40,000 a week," he declared What is sure is that next season's Champions League will be a brighter place with Nicollin around. Renowned for his entertaining, often crude comments, Nicollin dismissed talk of the title earlier this season by saying: "If Montpellier win the league, PSG, Marseille and Lyon will be stabbing themselves in the backside with a sausage." He later promised to copy Cabella's haircut if ever they did finish as champions. As ever, 'Loulou' kept to his word - and while the Mohawk made him look faintly ridiculous, few would begrudge him his moment in the sun. Share this page Free Expert French Ligue 1 Betting Tips & Predictions See all tips Who will be the best player in Ligue 1 after Zlatan Ibrahimovic left for Man. United ?

Paris Saint Germain ran away with Ligue Un last season, winning the French crown by an incredible 31 points. Zlatan-less and with a change in management, can they repeat the feat and make it five titles in a row? Lyon, runners up for the past two seasons, will have something to say about that and the ever-improving Monaco will be hoping for a title challenge of their own. It appears that Ligue Un will be a lot more competitive next season with a tighter race for the Ligue Un trophy in store, with the 2016-2017 season fast approaching who are you tipping to be League Winners come May? Saint Etienne It was a one-horse race for the title in the 15/16 Ligue Un season, with Paris Saint Germain picking up another crown at a canter. Unsurprisingly, they're massive favourites to repeat that feat in the upcoming campaign. Can anyone stop them making it five in a row? Lyon and Monaco have proved to be their closest rivals of late, it will be fascinating to see if either can spring a surprise. Who will win Ligue 1?

We'll look at the odds for a Ligue 1 Outright Winner, who are you betting on this year? Ligue 1 Winner 16/17 Ligue 1 Winner Odds : Paris Saint Germain Paris Saint Germain Odds to win Ligue 1 2016/2017 : 1.10 at bwin Paris Saint Germain have won the last four Ligue Un titles and will be looking to make it five in a row under new manager Unai Emery. They may have lost Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored 113 goals in 122 appearances for P.S.G, but they've bolstered their squad with the signings of Grzegorz Krychowiak, who Emery knows from his time at Sevilla, and Thomas Meunier. Hatem Ben Arfa has joined on a free from fellow Ligue 1 side Nice and with more signings mooted it's no surprise they're clear favourties for a Ligue 1 Outright Winner bet.

They ran away with it last year, winning the league by an amazing 31 points, and they'll be looking to continue their title winning spree looking ahead to overhaul Lyon's record of seven straight title wins. Club Ligue 1 Winner Odds : Lyon Lyon Odds to win Ligue 1 2016/2017 : 13 at bet365 It wasn't so long ago that Lyon were the number one side in France. Between the 2001/2002 and the 2007/2008 seasons they won seven consecutive Ligue Un titles, a record in the French top division. They've finished runners up to Paris Saint Germain in their last two campaigns, but it will be tough to go one better next term. With question marks over the future of star striker Alexandre Lacazette, who scored 54 goals over the last two seasons for OL, and the loss of defender Samuel Umtiti to Barcelona, it looks like being a big ask for Lyon to add and eighth title to their name.

Club Ligue 1 Winner Odds : Monaco Monaco Odds to win Ligue 1 2016/2017 : 21 at Coral Since their return to Ligue 1 for the 2013-2014 season Monaco have been impressive, finishing second and third twice in their last three seasons. They're proving savvy in the transfer market too, adding the signings of Benjamin Mendy, Kamil Glik and Djibril Sidibe to their ranks this summer with manager Leonardo Jardim hoping to lead his side to their first Ligue 1 title since 2000. Like with Lyon, it's a tough task, but Monaco are more than capable of another top three finish and are certainly worth considering for an each-way Outright Winner bet. Club Ligue 1 Winner Odds : Marseille Marseille Odds to win Ligue 1 2016/2017 : 67 at bet365 One of Ligue Un's most successful sides, with nine titles and twelve runners-up places to their name, Marseille are one of the most famous clubs in Europe.

Despite having finishes of second, sixth and fourth in their previous three seasons, they had a torrid time of it last time out amidst managerial changes and backroom turmoil and could only muster a poor 13th place. They've lost some good players too, Michy Batshuayi and Steve Mandanda have joined English Premier League outfits Chelsea and Crystal Palace, and Benjamin Mendy has joined fellow Ligue 1 side Monaco. It's unlikely Marseille will able to put in any kind of title challenge, with an improvement on last season's performance surely their sole aim. Club Ligue 1 Winner Odds : Lille Lille Odds to win Ligue 1 2016/2017 : 151 at Paddy Power Since winning their third Ligue Un title in 2010-2011, Lille have established themselves as regular challengers for European places. They started poorly last season, but an impressive run towards the end in which they were unbeaten in their final ten matches ensured a fith place finish and qualification to the Europa League Third Qualifying round.

There are doubts about whether Sofiane Boufal will still be plying his trade at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy next season and Djibril Sidibe has joined Ligue 1 rivals Monaco so manager Frederic Antonetti will be looking in the transfer market to add to his depleting squad. A title challenge looks very unlikely, though a top six finish is well within Les Dogues grasp. Club Ligue 1 Winner Odds : Saint Etienne Saint Etienne Odds to win Ligue 1 2016/2017 : 176 at 10Bet Saint Etienne are France's most successful club, with ten League titles, six Coupe de France trophies, a Coupe de la ligue title and five French Super Cup victories to their name. Their glory days of winning League titles are long gone though, their last Ligue Un title win coming back in 1981. However, they have established themselves as a regular top half side, they've finished in the top ten in each of the last six seasons, the top six in the last four.

They could lose star Moustapha Bayal Sall this summer, one of Ligue Un's most impressive defenders which would be a huge blow to Christophe Galtier and his men, and a title challenge is probably well beyond Les Verts' grasp with odds of 176.00 reflecting that. Still, expect another decent season for Galtier, another top six finish is definitely on the cards. Club 58 French Ligue 1 Betting Tips Often known as Le Championnat, French Ligue 1 is one of the most popular football leagues in Europe. Founded in 1932, France’s top division was formed as Ligue 1 in 2002 and has built a reputation as the breeding ground for some of the best youth talent in world football. Everyone wants to take a glimpse at the next big emerging superstar and TV rights from all over the world mean that Brazilians, Australians, the middle-east and a huge proportion of Africa all tune in on a weekly basis to watch top-flight in France. Over its 83 year history, only 19 clubs have been named champions of France. Since 2002, that number drops to six.

From seven straight titles won by a dominant Lyon team, to Paris Saint-Germain’s current success, all the way to Montpellier’s first-ever title during the 2011/12 season, it's a league that can throw up some shocks along the way. Saint-Etienne are still the most successful team in France with 10 titles, and Marseille will be hoping to add to their nine trophies. Whilst teams like Nantes, with eight, Monaco, with seven, or even Stade de Reims or Bordeaux with six, will be hoping they too can rediscover the glory days once again. As Ligue 1 continues to attract more and more fans around Europe, so too does it attract members of the bettingexpert community as the league quickly becomes one of the most popular football leagues to bet on. Each week throughout the French Ligue 1 season, you'll find members of the bettingexpert community offering their expert analysis and posting tips on our French Ligue 1 betting tips board. £10 Ligue 1 Infos The Ligue 1 season runs from August through to May, with a two week Winter break over the Christmas and New Year period.

There are 20 teams in Ligue 1, each playing every other side twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 38 games. Whichever team gains the most points from their 38 matches become Ligue 1 Champions and qualify for the Champions League. The side that finishes in second place also qualifies for the Champions League, with the third-placed team earning a Champions League qualifying round place. The team who finishes fourth earns a Europa League place. The two sides who finish in 19th and 20th position are automatically relegated to Ligue 2 and are replaced by the two teams who finish in the top two of that division. The team that finishes in 18th place face a relegation play-off over two games against the side that finishes third in Ligue 2, with the winners securing Ligue 1 football for the season after and the losers plying their trade in Ligue 2. Ligue 1 is one of the top leagues in Europe, with UEFA coefficients putting France's top division fifth behind Spain's La Liga, England's Premier League, Germany's Bundesliga and Italy's Serie A.

The league is also ranked fifth behind the same leagues with regards to the revenue acquired by its 20 teams. LAST 10 Ligue 1 WINNERS Last 10 Ligue 1 Winners Season Ligue 1 Table 2016/17 Here is the live French Ligue 1 table with an added-on form guide to give you even more stats from each of the French league's top teams. Although the league follows the standard format of three points for a win and one point for a draw, there has been a chance to the promotion and relegation system implemented this season. Only the bottom two clubs will face relegation to Ligue 2 this term, with the top two in Ligue 2 taking their place. This has been a controversial decision for the French league and clubs from the lower leagues have expressed their anger. The move has been made to try and provide some stability to the clubs in the top flight and could lead to a more open and expansive division. At the other end of the Ligue 1 standings, the top two clubs progress through to the main draw of the UEFA Champions League, while the third placed team goes into the third qualifying round played over two-legs.

They would then face a two-leg play-off against other European clubs with the winner advancing through to the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. Last season saw plenty of profit and knowledge shared amongst a fiercely competitive season of Ligue 1 tips. Thousands of tips were written by our committed community and as you can see in the top 5 table from last season, there's an abundance of knowledge right at your fingertips. If you want to start writing Ligue 1 tips this season our advice is check out last season's top tipsters and see how they approached matches. It might also be worth checking out if any of them have forged any kind of strategy that you too can take inspiration from. Best French Ligue 1 Tipsters There was plenty profit and knowledge to be had amongst the Ligue 1 tipster community last season, with the French top-flight at its most competitive for a number of years. Thousands of tips were made over the course of the campaign, with last season’s top five tipster rankings illustrating the volume of insight available at the command of just a few clicks. View all Our tipping community offers some of the best football tipsters you'll find and when it comes to Ligue 1 tips, it's no different.

With our Tipster Stats Tool you can easily find the best Ligue 1 Tipsters to follow each and every week of the season. Anyone can start writing Ligue 1 tips this season, although as a form of preparation it might be worth checking out last year’s top tipsters for a view into how they approached their predictions. Strategy can play a big role in the success or failure of a tipster, and so a look at the tactical side of the community could also be beneficial. View the latest live Ligue 1 stats here! Ligue 1 Odds If you want to see all Ligue 1 Odds for the upcoming game, we recommend you to visit our affiliate website SmartBets. You will be able to bet directly from the interface and even make a coupon from different Ligue 1 games. Moreover, you will be able to have a quick overview about the best Ligue 1 Odds available in more than 30 bookmakers. If you are looking for a Ligue 1 Odds for a specific market, Smartbets is the best option. Try it out! Watch out all Ligue 1 Odds now!

Ligue 1 Stats If you want to know all Ligue 1 Stats we invite you to browse our Clash Section. After selecting the Ligue 1 game that you want, you will them get all the latest data such Head to Head, Form, Over Under stats, ... Do not hesitate to check our Clash Section now . Best French Ligue 1 Bookmakers and Offers With such quality and flair on show, Ligue 1 is one of Europe’s most exhilarating leagues for tipsters. Bookmakers offer a wide range of bets as well as in-play betting for those who wish to see what they’re dealing with before putting their money where their mouth is. As a first time customer there’s also a good chance you will be offering a number of welcome bonuses. With so much to choose from bettingexpert is the best tool available to help guide you through which bets to lump your cash on and which bets to stay a safe distance from. We are proud to share with you some of the best deals in the industry from the world’s most prolific bookmakers. Our in-depth experience and insight is available to browse for all users in our comprehensive Bookmaker Review section .

French football/soccer : League One 2016/2017 season preview 2012 Marseille - Lyon 1:0 (after extra time) key players (transfer market value in m€) Angers Goalkeeper Denis Petric (1.5); Defense: Romain Thomas (3.5), Vincent Manceau (1.8), Ismael Traore (1.5), Yoann Andreu (1.5); Midfield: Romain Saiss (4), Cheikh Ndoye (4), Thomas Mangani (2.5), Gilles Sunu (2); Forward: Billy Ketkeophomphone (2.8), Famara Diedhiou (1.8).

Bastia Goalkeeper Jean-Louis Leca (1); Defense: Mathieu Peybernes (1.5), Florian Marange (1), Sebastien Squillaci (0.5); Midfield: Allan Saint-Maximin (2), Lenny Nangis (1.8), Axel Ngando (1.3), Jerson Cabral (1.3); Forward: Thievy Bifouma (2.5), Enzo Crivelli (2.5), Sadio Diallo (1.3). Bordeaux Goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni (1.5); Defense: Nicolas Pallois (3.5), Youssouf Sabaly (2.5), Diego Contento (2.3); Midfield: Malcom (10), Jeremy Menez (9.5), Gregory Sertic (4), Adam Ounas (4), Jeremy Toulalan (2.5), Francois Kamano (2.5); Forward: Diego Rolan (8).

Caen Goalkeeper Remy Vercoutre (0.5); Defense: Damien Da Silva (3.5), Emmanuel Imorou (2), Syam Ben Youssef (1.8), Romain Genevois (1.8); Midfield: Ronny Rodelin (2.5), Ismael Diomande (1.8), Jonathan Delaplace (1.8), Vincent Bessat (1.5); Forward: Andy Delort (5.5), Ivan Santini (2.2). Dijon Goalkeeper Baptiste Reynet (2); Defense: Julian Palmieri (2), Yunis Abdelhamid (1), Arnold Bouka Moutou (1), Fouad Chafik (0.8); Midfield: Marvin Martin (1.5), Jeremie Bela (1.3), Frederic Sammaritano (1), Romain Amalfitano (0.9); Forward: Julio Tavares (1.5), Lois Diony (1.3).

Guingamp Goalkeeper Karl-Johan Johnsson (1.5); Defense: Christophe Kerbrat (2.5), Benjamin Angoua (1.5), Jordan Ikoko (1.3); Midfield: Yannis Salibur (3), Lucas Deaux (2), Nicolas Benezet (2), Mustapha Diallo (1.5), Nill De Pauw (1.3); Forward: Jimmy Briand (2.5), Sloan Privat (1.8). Lille Goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama (2); Defense: Sebastien Corchia (5.5), Adama Soumaoro (2), Julian Palmieri (2); Midfield: Sofiane Boufal (13), Rony Lopes (9), Younousse Sankhare (3.5), Rio Mavuba (2.5), Eric Bautheac (2.5); Forward: Eder (5), Yassine Benzia (3).

Lorient Goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte (3.5); Defense: Lindsay Rose (2), Zargo Toure (2), Wesley Lautoa (2); Midfield: Didier Ibrahim Ndong (5), Cafu (2), Romain Philippoteaux (2), Jimmy Cabot (2); Forward: Waris Majeed (5), Benjamin Moukandjo (4.5), Benjamin Jeannot (2.5). Lyon Goalkeeper Anthony Lopes (13); Defense: Nicolas N'Koulou (10), Emanuel Mammana (7.5), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (6); Midfield: Maxime Gonalons (15), Corentin Tolisso (13), Sergi Darder (12), Jordan Ferri (7.5), Maxwel Cornet (7); Forward: Alexandre Lacazette (35), Nabil Fekir (11).

Marseille Goalkeeper Yohann Pele (0.5); Defense: Tomas Hubocan (4.5), Karim Rekik (3), Hiroki Sakai (2), Rolando (1.5); Midfield: Florian Thauvin (9), Remy Cabella (8), Lassana Diarra (7.5), Georges-Kevin N'Koudou (7), Romain Alessandrini (4.5); Forward: Bafetimbi Gomis (8). Metz Goalkeeper Thomas Didillon (1.5); Defense: Simon Falette (1.3), Guido Milan (0.8), Ivan Balliu (0.8); Midfield: Cheick Doukoure (1.3), Renaud Cohade (1), Yann Jouffre (1), Florent Mollet (0.8), Opa Nguette (0.8); Forward: Mevlut Erdinc (2.5), Habib Diallo (0.8).

Monaco Goalkeeper Danijel Subasic (5); Defense: Fabinho (16), Kamil Glik (11), Jemerson (10), Djibril Sidibe (10), Ricardo Carvalho (0.5); Midfield: Joao Moutinho (18), Bernardo Silva (16), Thomas Lemar (12); Forward: Falcao (15), Guido Carrillo (5.5). Montpellier Goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren (2.5); Defense: Jerome Roussillon (2.5), William Remy (2), Mathieu Deplagne (1.5), Daniel Congre (1), Anthony Vanden Borre (1); Midfield: Morgan Sanson (5), Ryad Boudebouz (4.5), Paul Lasne (1.5); Forward: Casimir Ninga (2), Kevin Berigaud (1.5).

Nancy-Lorraine Goalkeeper Sergey Chernik (1); Defense: Clement Lenglet (2.5), Julien Cetout (1.3), Mickael Chretien Basser (1), Vincent Muratori (1); Midfield: Youssef Ait Bennasser (2.5), Diallo Guidileye (1), Anthony Robic (1); Forward: Christophe Mandanne (1.5), Anthony Koura (1.3), Maurice Dale (1). Nantes Goalkeeper Remy Riou (4); Defense: Diego Carlos (2), Koffi Djidji (2), Leo Dubois (1.5); Midfield: Adrien Thomasson (3), Guillaume Gillet (2), Alexander Kacaniklic (1.5), Nicolaj Thomsen (1.5); Forward: Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (3), Emiliano Sala (2), Yacine Bammou (1.5).

Nice Goalkeeper Walter Benitez (3.5); Defense: Ricardo Pereira (6), Paul Baysse (2.5), Maxime Le Marchand (2.3), Dalbert (2); Midfield: Vincent Koziello (7.5), Jean Michael Seri (5.5), Valentin Eysseric (4), Wylan Cyprien (2.5), Arnaud Lusamba (2); Forward: Alassane Plea (5). Paris Saint-Germain Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp (12); Defense: Marquinhos (30), David Luiz (28), Thiago Silva (16); Midfield: Angel Di Maria (60), Marco Verratti (40), Grzegorz Krychowiak (30), Blaise Matuidi (30), Javier Pastore (24); Forward: Edinson Cavani (37), Lucas (35).

Rennes Goalkeeper Benoit Costil (7.5); Defense: Mexer (5), Ramy Bensebaini (2), Pedro Mendes (2); Midfield: Paul-Georges Ntep (10), Kamil Grosicki (4.5), Clement Chantome (3), Gelson Fernandes (3), Benjamin Andre (2.5), Pedro Henrique (2.5); Forward: Giovanni Sio (4). Saint-Etienne Goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier (8); Defense: Loic Perrin (8), Kevin Theophile-Catherine (3.5), Florentin Pogba (3); Midfield: Romain Hamouma (5), Bryan Dabo (4), Fabien Lemoine (4), Yohan Mollo (3), Vincent Pajot (2.5); Forward: Robert Beric (4.5), Nolan Roux (3).

Toulouse Goalkeeper Alban Lafont (2.5); Defense: Christopher Jullien (2.8), Issa Diop (2.5), Issiaga Sylla (2), Francois Moubandje (1.5); Midfield: Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro (3), Oscar Trejo (2.3), Jessy Pi (1.8), Tongo Doumbia (1.5); Forward: Martin Braithwaite (4.5), Ola Toivonen (2.5).

Question: Which football club pipped Paris Saint Germain to win the French League 1 title in 2012?
Answer: MONTPELLIER